Cops on Rooftops: Don't Expect Any Crime at Dunkin' Donuts this Weekend

Lieutenant Jim DeWees of the Maryland State Police and Chief Jeff Spaulding of the Westminster Police Department will be sitting on the rooftop of the Westminster Dunkin’ Donuts at 576 Jermor Lane in the 140 Shopping Center beginning at 6 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 20. Their goal is to raise $10,000 for Special Olympics Maryland before they come down off the roof Sunday afternoon. 

While the cops are sitting on the rooftop, the community will be enjoying an outdoor fun festival on the ground. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, the parking lot of Dunkin’ Donuts will become a kid magnet.  There will be demonstrations by police K-9 teams and the Westminster Police Department’s T-3 mobility device, an up-close display of police cars and equipment, a kids “Craft Corner” sponsored by Lowes, a rock wall, moon bounce, halo jumper, face painting and more. 

For those who contribute $5 or more to Special Olympics, Dunkin' Donuts will be providing a free cup of coffee or more--depending upon the size of the donation, according to a news release.

As Chief Spaulding and Lt. DeWees spend their weekend on the rooftop of Dunkin’ Donuts, other officers and Special Olympics athletes will greet customers inside and outside of the store, passing around donation jars and rallying support for the cause. 

This is one of eight “Cops on Rooftops” events taking place around the state this weekend.  Other locations include Laurel, College Park, Towson, Reisterstown, Havre de Grace, Md.  Collectively, law enforcement hopes to raise more than $80,000 in one weekend to support the work of Special Olympics around the state, according to a news release.

“Cops on Rooftops” was conceived by a group of law enforcement officers in Illinois who in 2009 took to the rooftops of 94 Dunkin’ Donuts stores across the state and raised more than $182,000 for Special Olympics.  Last year, five Dunkin’ Donuts locations across Maryland participated in the program in late-September, collectively raising more than $29,000 for the athletes of Special Olympics Maryland.